The Last One
by Daughter Of The Revolution
Summary: "In the end, it was Love that killed the Beast." Liam Rivaille, the son of a Titan-shifter and humanity's greatest warrior longs to find the one who birthed him, Eren Jaeger, but his caretakers have forbidden him from searching beyond the walls. The Age of the Titans have near come to an end. Now, only one remains. Unofficial sequel to 'What's Left.' Past MPREG. Past RiRen EreRi
1. The Walls don't Protect, they Confine

**Daughter Of The Revolution: I call it "unofficial" because the Oneshot/Longshot "What's Left" can stand on its own and sprout off different sequals/prequels, but I've decided to stretch my mind this way. So, this story can chronologically happen after "What's Left" or it can't it's all up to whether _you_ accept this story or not. If not then it never happened, simple as that. Enjoy.**

* * *

"Their children are a curious thing. They can be completely dependent on their parent, but at the same time inexplicably indepedent as it has come to my observation that the parent sometimes leaves them. This, in no way, damages the child's maturity in the slightest. I wonder if it is their fate to spend their juvenile years in solitude." Exert from Dr. Grisha Jaeger's medical journal.

* * *

Today was lilies. The roses seemed to climb in price and so he'd have to save up a little more to buy him the red ones that he likes so much.

"Roses next time, alright, dad?" Liam smiled softly as he stared at the white stone before him. Simple engraved letters and numbers that he's come to memorize by heart and the vision of it took the place of what the man he spoke to was supposed to look like. But you couldn't really blame the boy—after all, his father had died before he was born.

It was sunset, the cold air was creeping in, but after years of this routine, young Liam Rivaille had gotten used to the weather, rain or shine, cold or hot. Nothing could suddenly make the teen stop his ritual. It was now a part of his life, of course he had his mother to thank for that.

He didn't remember what he looked like or what he even sounded like. He remembered words he spoke to him and the impact they had on him and so he thoroughly blamed him for his predicament now—his obsession with accomplishing his routine no matter the weather or his own health.

After his chores were finished and his errands ran he'd find that his day was ready to set, of course not without the coins jingling in his pocket, begging to be handed over for something much lovelier.

So, he'd buy a boquet—if he had enough coin of course, any type of flower was good, but mostly red roses were the favored. Then he'd be on his way to his final stop before heading back home.

His mother had taught him to respect those who had gone before them—especially if some of those happened to be loved ones. Liam had never gotten a chance to love this one, but as a relative, the love was implanted in his heart by the tales his mother used to speak of and then afterwards the tales were passed on to his mother's friends to tell. So he felt like he knew him, in a way, even though he really wasn't ever sure if he would.

Still, that did not deter the young teen to give the grave of his father flowers every day. He even had the habit of standing there, sometimes sitting, for a couple hours—at least until the street lamps were lit as a sign for him to return home.

He had a strict curfew and was never one to break rules . . . as of late.

Trotting toward the neatly fenced brick house, Liam waved to the guards who regularly patrolled the street aligning his house before closing the wooden gate and making his way down the cobbled path and onto the porch. Before entering he shrugged off the sack around his shoulders and set it down next to the door, on a reclining wooden rocking chair seated neatly nearby.

"I'm back," Liam announced. Upon the smell of something delicious in the air he smiled and tried to make a guess as to who it could be just by the smell of the dish. When something went crashing to the floor and a loud, "Ah! God dammit!" spewed forth afterwards Liam nodded and held in a chuckle before entering the hazy kitchen and catching his good ole Uncle Jean trying to make dinner—the main issue was _trying_.

"What's for dinner today, Uncle Jean, burnt duck, or overcooked lobster?" Jean turned toward him and then held the spatula out toward him like he would one of his swords. Jean could be threatening sometimes, just not when he's wearing a Aunt Hanji's pink apron.

"'Ey, watch your mouth, boy, or you can go to bed without dinner," Jean warned, though light in manner.

Liam raised his hands and nodded his head in understanding before making his way toward the stove and bending down to pick up the spilled pot that Jean had dropped—ah, so it was overcooked lobster. Being careful to push all the contents back inside the hot bowl without getting burned, Liam held it up and looked over toward the dinning table.

"Do you want me to set food out?"

"Yeah, go ahead," Jean said as he turned and continued to stir the butter sauce. "I was almost done with the sauce before that thing tipped over on its own, just to let ya know."

Liam didn't say anything, but just smiled. Setting the table was quiet, as was their meal; like normal. Jean, unlike most of the others, would usually let Liam stay up a little longer than scheduled because of himself needing to let the food settle. So they'd sit in silence sometimes at the table while Jean eased himself back into the chair and rubbed his full stomach.

Sometimes they'd talk about the day, sometimes even about a few old stories that Jean could remember, or vice versa. Liam's Uncle Jean caused a lot of humor upon himself and unforgettable humor at that so it wasn't hard for the teen to bring something up even though the man continued to deny it ever happened.

Today though, it was Liam who started a conversation.

"How are the expeditions?" Liam asked, his silver eyes watching as Jean rose a brow before his brown eyes glanced away from him and he sat himself properly, with his hands folded together upon the table.

"Nothing much to say," Jean said lowly, but, for as long as Liam could remember—that had always been the same answer every time he asked.

Now wasn't the time to show attitude, Liam hadn't expected anything to change.

So he stood up and collected the plates. Upon his decent toward the kitchen to begin washing dishes before bed, Liam stopped, his back toward Jean who remained still where he sat. "When can I go out then?"

Liam didn't have to turn around to know Jean had raised his head and looked at him. He didn't have to turn around to see his uncle shaking his head. He heard him getting up and pushing the chair back to its original spot against the table before that all-too-familiar sigh was heard and the feel that pressing hand upon his shoulder that tried to seem so lightweight but in truth was so constricting Liam couldn't stand it.

"Hey, the Age of the Titans are at its close, that doesn't mean it's over. Hell, if it was over I'd retire somewhere nice!" Jean spoke in that same tone he'd always spoken to Liam with. Liam no longer wanted to see that fake smile of his though and so kept his eyes straight and staring into nothing in particular.

"Then when will it be over?" Liam asked and for a moment, felt Jean's hand upon his shoulder squeeze slightly before letting go and flapping back against the commander's side. "You wouldn't let me join the Survey Corps when I came of age because of the fear of Titans, now when you say their age is about over, I still can't go outside. When the last one is gone then what—will you still keep me locked inside these walls?"

Liam looked toward Jean this time and his eyes were sharp and angry. He saw Jean jump slightly and for a moment wondered why a grown man of Jean's rank would even so much as flinch at a teen's upset glare. He briefly remembered Aunt Hanji saying how his father, Levi who had also been Jean's commanding officer, would use such stares to put his cadets in place and so maybe it was that. Now really wasn't the time to think of it as Jean steadied himself against his glare and shook his head—more down emotions than domineering ones showing on the man's face.

"I made a promise, sorry," Jean informed. "But be sure that I'll be the first to let you know when it's time. I'll personally take you with me if that's what you want."

"I just want to see what you and everyone else—what my father had strived for—a world without Titans," Liam muttered before continuing his way and entering the kitchen, washing the dishes in silence.

His Uncle Jean ended up staying the night in one of the guest rooms, Liam could tell from the loud snoring that kept him awake all night. He even heard him leave around four in the morning. That was really when Liam managed to get to sleep.

When he awoke he was surprised he hadn't been pounced on or kicked out of bed. Normally if he slept this late someone would notice—unless . . .

He heard it, from his opened window he heard the shouts. Another expedition had been organized and were readying to leave the walls. Why hadn't Jean told him?

So, as fast as he could, Liam shoved on his boots and flung on a shirt, tucking it into his trousers as he made his way downstairs and then out the door, breaking off into a full-out run to make it in time.

Just as he figured, the crowd gathered around was large and dense, so pushing them aside was out of the question, but sure enough he got to see the soldiers leave. Jean was leading this time, but he didn't see anyone else he knew aside from—

"Liam!"

Liam turned and looked to see a small young girl, red of hair, pushing her way through the crowd to come toward him, giving up her spot in the front just to be with her friend.

"Jane? Why didn't you stay?" Liam asked as he watched the out-of-breath girl heave before straightening herself and fixing her ruffled skirt. "You had a good position to see your sister off."

Jane's older sister, Laura, was a skilled warrior in the Survey Corps and was currently heading out on that same expedition.

"It's okay," Jane said with a smile as she touched the loose strands of hair against her ears bashfully. "We already said goodbye at breakfast with mom and dad. But I came to get you. I have the _you-know-what_, you gonna come by?"

Liam smiled and nodded his head. During expeditions his main caretakers became scarce and so that offered him more freedom. But what would Liam Rivaille, the son of humanity's strongest warrior, do in his free time?

Heading toward their rendezvous spot, he waited as Jane got down on her hands and knees and scavenged the hollow trunk of a large tree for their desired object.

"Got it!" she declared with glee. Standing up she ignored the grass and mud stains she now drenched her skirt in, instead her wide smile beamed as she held the object tighter. "Well, who's going first?"

"That would be me," Liam said with a smirk.

Jane had wanted to follow her older sister into the Survey Corps, and so when she came of age she went into training while Liam watched from afar and cheered his close friend on in encouragement so she could complete her cadet years—well, it is said that some were cut to join the Corps, but not everyone. Jane just happened to be one of those people. The main issue: she couldn't balance herself on the 3D Maneuver Gear. So she was among the first to get the boot by the instructor and thus forbidden from coming back—forever dubbed as a failure.

Not too bad for her parents who wanted their youngest daughter to take over their flower business while their oldest was out of the question—already having joined the Survey Corps and proved a protégé. So Jane currently resided with her parents selling flowers and would probably die with the same job—still living in her family house. But did that deter Jane? Did Liam's comforting words help her? Of course not.

The day she had to pack up and leave she took an extra case with her, saying that it had been a case full of extra clothing she had bought while still in the camp. Of course that was a bold-faced lie. She had somehow managed to smuggle out a 3D maneuver gear right underneath the instructor's nose. Upon returning home, her horrible guilt was quick to catch up to her and of course it was Liam whom she told.

Instead it had been Liam's idea that the two train with it in secret, each in time taking turns. Jane found her balance in a few weeks while Liam was found to be a natural, much to Jane's chagrin. But both continued their practice one by one in a secret place. It was a long time construction site that was often neglected by workers and delayed much needed repairs and so the two swung around their until both worked with it perfectly.

Liam though was more bold with his maneuvers, having twists and somersaults a little too much for Jane's liking. Jane was good with just quick straight turns, nothing too fancy. If she was made to do a backflip, her stomach would be on the ground, one of the reasons why she failed in cadet training—sadly, that could not be trained out of her, but Liam didn't care about that. Just as long as the two were well trained in it then one day, with the hope of gaining another 3D gear then perhaps they could venture outside the walls; that's all Liam wanted.

"It's my turn now, Liam!" He heard Jane say from below him, but as he clung to the side of the building still under a long-term construction, Liam couldn't keep his eyes from the outlining of wall Sina. It was so very far away from them but felt as if it constricted Liam's very being and he was finding it harder and harder to breathe.

He had turned five the day the wall was recovered for humanity. He remembered that, the most being that of his mother as he hugged him so tight and warm and whispered to him, "For you, Liam, I took back Wall Sina."

Since then it had been nothing but construction for the most part of all the towns inside the wall. Well, as Liam looked at the building still in the same shape it had been years ago when he and Jane had made this small sect of buildings their "secret hang-out", he noticed that some further down towns still lacked better repair.

Of course though, humanity didn't stop after Wall Sina. Of course not. If they had, then Liam's mother would still be there with him.

No, in that same year Liam had to watch as visits from his mother lessened and lessened until he visited him no more. The others used to tell him that his parent had been busy driving the rest of the Titans into the sea and drowning them to stop by any time soon, but in time they began changing their conversation and the name of Eren Jaeger was no longer brought up.

Liam had realized a long time ago that he would probably never see him again and that he was probably dead. He had figured it out as slowly as he could handle it and now, at the age of sixteen, he couldn't say he even felt slightly sad at the thought of his last remaining parent's demise. After all, he hardly remembered what he looked or sounded like. It was only common for someone to feel this way about a relative so estranged.

"Liam!"

The voice had been right next to him and just as he turned he watched a bright-eyed Jane come surging toward him with a 3D gear of her own. It had caught Liam by surprise so much that he lost balance and his grappling hook swung loose and down he went, hitting the ground harder than comfortable.

"LIAM!" Jane cried out, swinging down and landing before rushing toward her friend. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you! I just, I just wanted to show you what I had found the other day. I'm so sorry, don't die!"

There Jane went, the water works. Liam understood that she was still only a teenage girl, but she had been his friend since they were in diapers and so should know by now how his condition would fare after falling down from such a height.

"I'm not gonna die from that, Jane," Liam groaned as he sat himself up and just as he moved to stand he noticed his leg—it was twisted backwards. With a roll of his eyes he grabbed the limb and rolled the cap until it was positioned right on his leg and then waited for the magic to begin.

It hurt every time, but he learned to deal with the pain, it was only for a little while anyway. Liam glanced Jane biting her bottom lip out of the corner of his eye. He knew it was hard on her seeing firsthand his healing powers and the strain it put on his body, but once his leg was movable, he stood.

"You're all better. I'm so happy!" Jane exclaimed as she threw herself upon him, only to have Liam about stumble over again.

Yep, he had his mother to thank for that little gift. You see he was Liam Rivaille, the son of humanity's strongest warrior Levi Rivaille whom everyone always remembers to compliment and praise, but he was also the son of Eren Jaeger, humanity's last hope, and a Titan-shifter whom everyone also knows but forgets to mention.

Though quiet about the outcast but savior, Liam knew his mother's comrades knew of his condition. In fact he has a special doctor licenced only by the Survey Corps for fear of some sort of foul play. The diagnosis: Liam healed at a higher rate than any known human being. And that was all thanks to Eren's own abilities.

Liam was quite human, in fact his case was argued with over court when he was very young. He had taken a tumble down the staircase inside his home and when his two broken arms and five broken ribs became nonexistent before his mother rushed him to the doctors, the officials either had the case of a liar, or that of another monster. So it had been up to Aunt Hanji to settle the case of whether to bind Liam with the same shackles as his willing mother.

She discovered it was just a simple case of inheritance. Like inheriting sensitive skin or blonde hair from a parent, Liam inherited Eren's regenerative abilities. In his medical reports ran by Hanji she explained it akin to like having a higher metabolism rate than other children. Therefore, ensuring his "human" status as kept.

Liam never really saw himself as completely human. After all, the one who gave birth to him was a Titan-shifter. But that certainly never hindered him from making friends, especially from the legacy his father provided that was sure to attract attention toward the boy.

"I'm so glad your mother was a shifter," Jane said, but it seemed she had caught herself as she pulled back and placed her fingers over her lips. It seemed almost taboo just to mention Liam's mother and it was starting to annoy the teen.

"Yeah, me too, now where did you get the extra gear?" Liam inquired, pointing to the machine attached to Jane's hips.

"That's a secret," she said with a smile but Liam would have none of it. His glare that seemed to startled just about all of his mother's old friend excluding Aunt Mikasa, even got to his friend. She began sweating bullets before shaking her head and about shouting, "Okay so my sister left it in her room when she visited, along with a few of her uniforms!"

"She'll know you took it," Liam scolded, crossing his arms and shaking his head. "If she comes looking for it then what are you going to do?"

"I'll return it, I swear," she said as she clapped her hands together in a prayer-promise. "But I wanted to show you, well . . . because I thought you'd be happy."

"About getting caught?" Liam raised his brow quizzically.

"No, about going outside," she said, pointing toward the wall.

Outside. Now that was something to be happy about.

"Think about it, Liam," Jane began as she smiled encouragingly up at him. "The Survey Corps went out on another expedition. Your caretakers will be scarce. No one will know you went if you go out and then come back in. You see. We can both go together, like we promised."

Like they promised. She was right.

Liam always thought about leaving one day, but to actually have the opportunity staring you in the face made him a little more than excited.

Still, that smile answered everything for Jane and she jumped up and down as Liam agreed.

Outside the walls would be a sight to see and some adventure. The Titan Age was coming to its end so they were both certain there would be no danger chasing them for just a small trip. They were two teens full of dream and expectation and the vision of the outside world was in their sights.


	2. The Last One marks the End

"Their mindframe compared to ours are quite different. All at once they can lose themselves within the confines of their mind, leaving their body to act on its own as if they were two completely different beings. But I see this takes an important experiance, usually traumatic. It's as if a bond of some sort is cut. That bond being their lifeline." Exert from Dr. Grisha Jaeger's medical journal.

* * *

It was raining, well that was just fucking great.

Jean groaned inwardly but otherwise kept his commanding persona up as he ordered his troops to position themselves and the traps. The rain made it hard to see where everone had settled theselves and even harder to secure the traps in the designated spots. Jean heard someone about fall from a branch above and when he looked up he noticed that his men were having problems securing the trap on the wet bark, the contraption kept slipping.

With another groan Jean looked out into the wet mist around them. He knew it was there, he could hear it right now. He knew the rain wouldn't be a problem in a moment or two, but if it hindered their plan then this expedition could end disastorously just like the previous ones.

"Damn it, the last one and this fucking shit happens," Jean muttered to himself as he tightened the fastingings on his gear just in case he needed to use it. Still, he kept his eyes forward in the direction where _it_ awaited. "But of course nothing ever goes as planned, right, Eren?"

With a small smile Jean looked up and noticed a small sliver of blue skies rolling along with the rain clouds pressing on them. "Man, Eren—you promised to be here when we took down the last one. Some promise-keeper you are." With that, Jean heard the shout from a scout ahead. They had gotten the Titan's attention just like he had wanted.

"Alright! Get ready, it's headed our way!" Jean shouted to the regiment around him.

"Yes, sir!" they responded back.

_It's been too long. It's time to end this, with or without Eren,_ Jean thought to himself as he latched a projectiling hook onto a giant tree and swung himself upward with most of his men. "Sorry, Eren, but we just can't wait anymore."

"IT'S COMING! !" another scout shouted, the sound of his horse's hooves pounding hard against the muddy ground as he charged it through their ranks and then away.

There it was. The rain had stopped, well, not exactly. But Jean could see the shock on the newcomers' faces as they first experienced this Titan. Their eyes were wide when they watched the hard pressing rain suddenly vanish into vapors and all at once a silence surrounded them. A silence that terrified everyone still—besides Jean.

* * *

"Liam! Liam, come back!" Jane all about whined the whole way as she continuously found herself at Liam's heel; just close enough to keep up, but just far enough to never quite catch him like she wanted.

Liam seemed to all just ignore her as his eyes took in the outside world—all so vast and untamed. It amazed the raven-haired teen to no end. There were raging rivers, vast forests, open fields with various kinds of flowers blooming bright. After seeing all of this, why would anyone want to remain inside those dull mundane walls?

Maybe . . . perhaps . . . that is what his mother had thought.

Liam hadn't meant to think on such things, but the thought would no longer escape his mind. His heart skipped a beat at the possibility that perhaps Eren Jaeger was still alive. That perhaps he was living peacefully outside the walls; a home on the beach; just waiting for Liam to find him.

That thought alone caused him to stop and Jane, who had been chasing his heels since they snuck outside the walls, had about ran into his back had she not noticed the sudden halt in his motion. She landed on a branch near him and about toppled over from the slipperly footing she had placed herself upon. To her right was a raging river, a furious thing that made her quite uneasy.

So, carefully this time, she made her way onto the branch Liam had stopped himself on. The boy looked as if something troubled him. She hadn't seen him like this since he had been refused from joining any Corps regiment.

"Liam? What's wrong? Come on, Liam, you need to wear this just in case we're seen," Jane pressed as she drapped the dark green cloak over her friend's shoulders that was identical to the once she was wearing at the moment.

Jane had been in the procress of hooking the cloak properly when she watched Liam look at her with wide eyes. She blinked in confusion once before she heard him say, "Jane, do you think my mother's still alive?"

Well this certainly brought back memories. Jane remembered when they were younger; she remembered Liam crying when Eren Jaeger hadn't returned in the timeframe he usually did. She remembered Liam telling her his fears of his parent's demise in the line of duty. This had caused Liam to not sleep well at nights and his schooling slowed down for his recovery. Afterwhich many of the townspeople began quieting about the "Eren Jaeger" subject. The truth was no one knew what happened to their supposed savior. They couldn't comfort Liam in an unknown death nor could they hope for the best when many still had the image of those monstrous Titan in their mind. So it was silence.

"What makes you think that, Liam?" Jane asked.

Liam shook his head and motioned around them. "Look at the outside world. It's unexpressable. It's amazing and if I had the chance . . . I know I would live out here, mapping every forgotten place of this world. Maybe . . . maybe that's what my mother did. Do you think so?"

"It's a possibility," Jane said. "But why wouldn't his friends tell you if he settled outside the walls?"

"So . . . you're just like them . . . you think he's dead," Liam said with a small nod of saddening understanding.

"No, no, that's not what I'm saying and you know it, Liam Rivaille!" Jane scolded as she crossed her arms and tried to reason with the revelation-struck teen. "I'm just saying why wouldn't he come back for you? He loved you, right? It's just strange is all."

"Maybe it's time I stop expecting answers that'll never be spoken and just go and find them myself," Liam said as he let the rains fall down, wetting his dark hair and soaking his bangs against his brow.

"But you can't leave, not now," Jane said. "The are still Titans out there. I know Commander Jean said the age is amost over, but that doesn't mean it's any less safe."

"Then why are you following me?" Liam asked.

Jane was taken aback. She went to say something but nothing came out. With a sigh she bowed her head and then reached out and grabbed a hold of Liam's cloak and stood there for a moment.

"It's because I feel safe . . . with you," Jane admitted.

Liam slowly blinked but time halted as the rain vanished.

"Wha—?" Jane turned just as Liam did. The clouds above head had been ruthlessly pouring down upon them but a second ago, now nothing was falling, or, actually . . . "The rain," Jane started as she pointed upward. "It's still falling down, but . . . it's vapourizing before it even touches the ground."

The sudden change of temperature had startled the two. Jane seemed more disturbed than Liam, but still . . . Liam was baffled as well. The mystery of the dissolving rain would eat away at them until . . .

Until they met the cause.

"AAHH! ! !" Jane cried out, her hands flying to her cheeks while Liam's eyes widened in horror and suddenly his hands flew to the blades lain in the 3D Gear.

* * *

This may have been the first time . . . or it may have not, nevertheless Eren would forever remember this morning as the morning he, yes he, Eren Jaeger, woke up first. Of course the first one up meant that it was their duty to prepare breakfast. That wasn't so hard; eggs, sausage, and biscuts sounded good and none were too complicated to make.

A light fatigue struck him the moment his feet touched the cold hardwood floor but the reason for that lay right behind him. With a slow blink, Eren turned his head to see the little devil who had kept him up most of the night . . . his little mopheaded 2-year-old daughter, Anna. There she was, in the throws of her slumber so peaceful with her papa holding her tightly.

There was a light grumble before Eren shook any annoyed feelings away from the direction of his daughter and instead let her be, softly snoring in the arms of her papa while he made his way downstairs to start breakfast. The moment he began the gravy he jumped back upstairs to check on the rest of the family. Usually the smell would wake most of them up so Eren wanted to spy what they were up to.

To his surprise, all were still quite asleep. Peeking back into the master bedroom there was Eren's husband, the great Levi Rivaille, reknowned worldwide for his strength and skill—still slumbering away with his little girl curled up against his chest. With a roll of his shoulders, Eren made his way to the room across from his and opened it slightly to smell the pleasant smell of lilies. With a smile Eren saw that even his eldest daughter, the beautiful raven-haired-green-eyed Monette, was still in dreamland. Yes, she was quite convered in all her blankets and pillows of pinks and purples and reds.

With a chuckle Eren decided to check in on his firstborn even knowing that he probably wouldn't fair too much better than his siblings and father.

Yep, there he was, Liam Rivaille, spinning image of his father, alike so much that even he was still asleep. Eren blinked and noticed the boy readying to wake. Well, looks like he might be the first to come down for breakfast. Rolling his shoulders, Eren quietly shut the door and made his way back downstairs to finish setting the table.

Just as the last plate was filled with the contents of breakfast and set down Eren watched the first groggy-eyed relative come slumping down the stairs. Ah, it was Liam who was first awake.

"Morning, Liam," Eren said with a smile greeted to his eldest as usual for every day.

The boy hadn't even pulled out a smile, instead, with his eyes closed, he made his way to his chair and sat himself down, laying down on folded arms near his plate.

"Ah, easy, easy, Liam. You're going to get eggs in your hair!" Eren warned as he moved the plate away a little. "Sit up straight, you know better than to sleep at the dinning table."

"But Anna does it all the time," Liam retorted.

"Liam, she's two," Eren deadpanned, waving his finger at the boy who only playfully stuck his tongue out before shaking his head and taking up his silverware, ready to eat. Eren smiled and shook his head before he heard more feet coming down the staircase.

Turning he watching just in time as his long-haired daughter, Monette, took her seat next to her brother. She looked as perfect as ever. Ever since she hit the age of 10 Eren had never seen her come downstairs with tangles in her hair or with any blemish on her skin. He often wondered if it was a boy, but he wasn't one to press on it like Levi was. Now, at the tender age of 12 she was growing up before his eyes. Still quite a child, but Eren could see she was trying to become a woman a little too soon.

"Haaa, if only I could look like you every day, Monette. But the sad truth is, Monette, when you reach my age no amount of make-up will ever be able to hide the wrinkles of age," Eren said as he pointed to his face. That got his little girl to laugh but she waved her painted fingernails at him before tapping her cheek.

"If you want, I can put concealer on you, daddy," she said with a twinkle in her eyes—that girl had always been trying to put the stuff on him since she learned how to apply it from her bestfriend's older sister.

"No, no, make-up's only for girls like yourself, just be sure to keep it out of reach of Anna, please," Eren reminded before he turned and caught sight of his weary-eyed husband holding their still slumbering daughter. "Oh, good morning, Levi. Sorry, I know you like to help out with breakfast, but you looked tired."

"Take a look in the mirror," Levi muttered as he pulled out his chair at the head of the table and then let Eren come and take the toddler out of his grasp. With a yawn he watched his spouse place the little brunette in her highchair, and then coax her awake.

"Anna, it's breakfast time. Wake up, sweet heart," Eren cooed, getting the little silver-eyed girl to open her eyes and look down at her breakfast. With a wimper she let out a cry before shoving the plate off her tray. Eren jumped back and looked saddened at the new mess—and just after he cleaned up their kitchen yesterday. "Oh, now look what you've done, Anna."

"You should know better than to give her fruit in the morning, Eren," came Levi's reprimanding voice. Eren turned toward the older man who was watching him while silently drinking his morning tea. "If she sees what we're eating then she'll want it as well."

"But she won't like what we're eating," Eren complained. "That'll be another mess to clean up."

Levi just shrugged his shoulders. "Chance to take," he said.

Eren let out a sigh and looked at his weeping daughter who resembled him more so than his other two children he bore. The two had a small staring contest before Eren raised his hands in the air in defeat and shook his head. "Fine, you want to try our food? Go ahead."

To his surprise and chargin she liked it. Afterwards, Eren hadn't had the guts to look back at his husband who he knew had that smirk of "I-told-you-so." So Eren just ate quietly while their children chatted about the day ahead.

"I have practice after school, papa, are you staying at the office late today?" Liam turned to his father who was reading the paper and drinking his second cup of tea. He looked at him before folding the paper back to its original form and placing it neatly next to his finished plate.

"No," Levi said. "Not today. I'll make Erwin pay if he so much as holds me down at that desk for a second longer."

"Okay, so I'll tell the guys that you'll be picking me up," Liam said as he finished the last biscuit.

"Aww, but I don't wanna walk home with papa," Monette complained.

"Monette," Eren gasped. "What's wrong with having your father walk you home?"

The girl stayed quiet but her little secret was too well known for her papa. Levi smiled and looked toward Eren as he motioned toward their daughter. "Well, Monette has quite a following. She likes the attention," he said, leaving the rest unsaid for Eren to figure out.

"Oh," Eren nodded, understanding that the "following" must be a flock of boys continously cooing over her. Man, what was he to do when she reached her teens?

"Well, it's a minute passed schedule. Get ready everyone. I'll walk you both to school," Levi said as he stood up and wiped his hands with a napkin.

So as Eren cleaned up and watched Anna finish off her breakfast at her own pace, his two eldest were rushing down the stairs with Levi following them, a jacket in one arm and a small case in the other.

"See you latter, dad!" Liam shouted as he rushed out the door with his little sister close on his heels, her violet dress swaying as she exited the frame. "Bye, daddy!" she called in second.

"You kids have a nice day at school. No more fights, Liam. Monette, pay attention to your teachers!" Eren called out. The windows were open, it was a nice day, so Eren knew they heard him.

With a soft smile, Eren turned to take Anna out of her high chair. He wiped her off and then took her into his arms. The moment he did he felt a hand upon his shoulder, twirling him around and then a kiss. Eren's eyes fluttered before he closed them and enjoyed the goodbye kiss his husband decided to present to him at that moment.

"You behave," Levi said as he pulled away and leant down, kissing the top of his youngest daughter's messy head.

"She will as long as I'm with her," Eren said with a smile, a light pink still dusted on his cheeks.

"I wasn't talking about her," Levi said, his eyes glancing up at Eren mischeviously before that smirk was there again and before Eren knew it, he was gone, outside, walking the kids to their respected schools.

Eren's face was completely red. He didn't know how long he had been standing there, staring at the front door, but it was Anna who began making a fuss that broke Eren out of his blank thoughts.

"Alright, alright, let's go get you into more suitable clothes," Eren said. "Say, how about we head to the beach today? Would you like that, Anna?"

The little girl squealed and raised her hands in praise for the idea. So Eren did just that. Might as well, he thought, since the others would be out most of the day. So Eren changed Anna into a swimsuit as well as himself.

When he took up a blanket and headed outside and down the porch his feet hit the warm sand. With a smile he looked at the endless blue ocean before him but a frown replaced a smile that would have been a lingering one. In the distance he could see a storm coming. It was raining and thundering over the ocean only a few miles away. The winds were strong as well and so the storm was coming in closer than Eren would like.

"Sorry, Anna, not today. Looks like the weather's not agreeing with us this time," Eren said much to his little girl's dismay. When he picked her up the little brunette began to cry and her silver eyes watered as she reached out toward the ocean's waters slowly churning with the oncoming storm.

* * *

"Jane!" Laura knew immediately who could make a scream like that. So, with or without command she turned and sped off in the direction she heard it.

"Ah! Rosenburg, where are you going? !" Jean asked as he watched his soldier turn and dart from his side. He had heard her say her sister's name at the sound of that scream they had all heard, but why would she . . . unless . . . then she wasn't alone. "Liam!"

Without a second's hesitation Jean turned toward his regiment. "Hold the line! Squad 4, come with me. The Titan seems to be coming from the west instead of the east. Hurry!"

With that Jean darted off with a squad of ten following. As he rushed to catch up with Laura Rosenburg who happened to be Jane Rosenburg's older sister who in turn happened to be Liam's best friend, he noticed how worried she was and also how hot the area around them became.

They were close to the river and the moment it was in sight Jean watched Laura cry out as the sight of her sister's form was flung into the river. Laura was always a quicker acter and so she hadn't hesitated in the slightest to go after her, but Jean was preoccupied with the sight of it . . . of the . . .

"It's the Hellfire Titan!" his squad behind him cried out. "Commander, it's coming from the opposite direction. I'll go back and tell the others to reposition the traps."

Jean hadn't said anything. His eyes strained to find the form of Liam. His heart beat so hard against his chest that he felt it'd break out of its confines behind his ribcage and fall onto the forest floor. That kid would be the death of him if he didn't die first.

Then, a ray of hope. Just as the Hellfire Titan rammed through a giant tree, bringing it down in its wake, Jean caught sight of Liam who was struggling to keep balance and footing, but the Titan seemed to try to bring him down like the rest of the debris scattering around.

Then it happened, Liam had ran out of room. His back hit a giant tree and just as he slid down toward a branch he lost his footing and crashed upon the branch below. Jean knew he had ruined the stolen 3D Gear but it all happened so fast that Jean couldn't do anything.

So he watched in horror as the Hellfire Titan, the very last Titan known to existence, crashed down upon Liam. The giant tree was knocked off its roots and engulfed in flame. The Titan had rolled as it crashed toward the ground with the damage spraying all around it. The ground upturned as it rolled to a stop and soon, it turned, toward the river.

Jean jerked his gaze toward the river and saw Laura digging her sister's form out of the raging waters. It was heading toward the closest humans.

"HEY!" he cried out, trying to get the Hellfire Titan's attention as he shot forward, leaving his squad behind.

"Commander!" they cried out but he ignored their cries as he rushed to distract the Titan from going after the Rosenburg sisters.

"Over here you damn Titan!" Jean shouted as he waved his swords around. It worked. The Hellfire Titan turned to him and now it was rushing toward him. "Shit!" Jean cursed. He had thought about getting its attention away from the girls but not about his own safe retreat. Real smart _Commander_ Jean.

He could just hear Eren's taunting voice saying, "Ha, how did you make that rank, shit-for-brains? There's no way anyone would promote a horse-face like you." And he just might be right when Jean's life flashed before his eyes. A second before he had a chance to feel the guilt of not watching over Liam like he promised Eren he would if anything happened . . .

"UNCLE JEAN!"

Quick reflexes really come from a long life of hunting these creatures and Jean was really lucky his mind started working the moment Liam appeared out of nowhere, somehow swinging with only one of the gears functioning. The boy had landed on the Titan's arm, the flames burning everything up; the leftover gear, the ragged clothing torn from his crash, but in the moment before his blades melted he brought them down upon the creature's hand and lopped it off.

The sheer force of it knocked Liam off of the Titan and he hit Jean. A wire snapped and Jean went twirling toward a giant tree. He might not survive the impact like Liam, but even so he kept a tight hold on the teen.

"Commander!" Jean blinked and looked up to see Laura Rosenburg, her unconscious sister drapped over one arm while the other she held onto the single wire still attached to him.

"Thanks, Laura," Jean said with a smile before turning and watching as the Hellfire Titan looked at its missing hand. "Let's go before its attention turns away from its missing limb."

And they did. It was hard for Jean to call off the attack, but they were forced to return back to the walls. The Hellfire Titan didn't follow them. It never did, but still, not having it taken down was a failure to Jean and he hated returning to Erwin with no positive feedback. And now . . . with Liam and Jane found outside the walls, returning home wasn't going to be pleasant at all.


End file.
